


Clash

by collartothewind



Category: Mindhunter (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe: Everyone's Single, First Kiss, M/M, Protectiveness, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:38:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22444405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/collartothewind/pseuds/collartothewind
Summary: Bill's frustration at Holden's behavior in interviews bubbles over in a way neither of them expected.
Relationships: Holden Ford/Bill Tench
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 5





	Clash

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ologist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ologist/gifts).

Bill scrawled his signature on the form to sign himself out, then snatched up his badge and gun from the officer and strode furiously down the hallway, his eyes set on the double doors a few feet in front of him. _Fucking Holden and his fucking interview techniques_. He knew the kid was following close behind him: he could hear him murmuring something to the prison guard as he collected his own badge, and then his hurried footsteps beating against the concrete flooring as he tried to catch up to Bill. Bill’s jaw clenched and unclenched and he let his anger propel him forward as he shoved his way through the doors.

He had thought that the fresh air outside might calm him down, but the afternoon was hot and heavy, and it fell on him like an itchy blanket as soon as he exited the building. The sunlight, too harsh after the flickering bulbs inside the prison, made him squint, and he stopped still for a moment, shading his eyes. Holden all but barrelled into the back of him and Bill stumbled and let out a string of curses. _Kid could never stop when he was supposed to_. Bill turned and yanked Holden around the side of the building, his hand tight around Holden’s arm.

“What the hell were you thinking in there?” Bill snapped. He stopped near to the wall, pushing Holden against it and crowding in close to try and get out of the sun’s glare and into the thin strip of shade provided by the building. 

“What are you talking about?” Holden asked, blinking in apparent confusion. Bill felt his blood pressure rise another few points. _The little shit knew _exactly_ what he was talking about._

__

__

“What were you thinking,” Bill gritted out, “when you decided it was a good idea to purposefully aggravate him? He’s a killer, Holden. A killer who _you_ had convinced the guards to uncuff. Deciding to mock him for not having killed as many girls as his contemporaries wasn’t exactly a smart move!”

“He wasn't giving us anything!” Holden protested. “I was just trying to get him in a talking mood.”

“You're lucky you didn't get him in a strangling mood! I was eight feet across the room and he was a few fucking inches from you, and neither of us had our weapons. He could have killed you before I got near him!”

“But he didn't,” Holden pointed out, redundantly. 

Bill felt a growl building in the back of his throat, but then Holden's eyes narrowed, and he looked at Bill with that assessing look he had taken to using so much lately. 

“You were worried about me,” Holden said. His expression was one of curiosity at first, but then a slight smile started to spread across his face.

Bill ground his teeth. That smile was infuriatingly smug. Even worse? _Holden was fucking right._

The realization that he was worried about Holden somehow made Bill more angry, not less, though this time a good portion of that anger was directed at himself. He should never have let this kid get under his skin.

“I was not -” he began to say, but Holden’s smile was growing and he knew it was pointless to deny it. Holden moved forward, just a little, perhaps an inch, and Bill realized belatedly that they were standing too close. Too close for colleagues, and far, far closer than he should have been to someone who was his subordinate. Close enough that he could smell Holden’s aftershave and sweat, could feel Holden’s warm breath on his face, and could see the rise and fall of his chest - which was faster, suddenly. Close enough to see that Holden’s pupils were dilated, and to notice when Holden’s gaze flicked, almost imperceptibly, to Bill’s lips and back again.

Afterwards, he could not have said who moved first, but he thought that perhaps they met in the middle for once, and then they were kissing.

Their lips met heavy and hard, and Bill pushed forward, backing Holden up against the wall so tightly that he thought for a moment that he might crush him, but Holden stayed solid and firm under Bill’s hands. Their teeth clashed and then Holden’s tongue slid into his mouth, eager and searching, and the kiss was wet and messy and desperate and _ incredible_, and Bill thought his head might just explode.

When they broke apart, at last, it was only because Bill had lost his breath and finally needed oxygen more than he needed Holden’s tongue inside him. He panted, but the suffocatingly hot air didn’t help him much, and Holden panting back into his mouth didn’t help either. They stood there for a minute, still too close, Holden's right hand fisted in the side of Bill’s jacket, his other hand holding himself up against the wall as if his knees might buckle if he let go. Bill closed his eyes, thinking if he squeezed them shut hard enough he might be able to reverse what he’d just done. But he couldn’t keep them closed forever, and when he opened them Holden was still there, looking back at him, his lips swollen and slick with Bill’s spit. His eyes were slightly wide, and the smug grin had gone, replaced by something surprised and happy.

“You really were worried about me,” he said, wonder creeping into his tone. It was almost sweet. Against his better instincts, Bill's anger started to melt away.

“Bill?” Holden said, when Bill didn’t respond.

Bill sighed and reached up to wipe the remaining moisture off Holden’s lip, his touch ending up more gentle than he had intended. “I was worried a _little_,” Bill said, and he felt Holden’s mouth curve into a smile under his fingers.

Bill shook his head. This kid would be the death of him.


End file.
